Mechanical sheet holder for accounts and other documents



March .10, 1925. 1,528,875

.1, FUNCH MECHANICAL S11E31 HOLDERFOR ACCOUNTS A ND OTHER DOCUMENTS Filed Ndv. 15,, 1922 YOUNG H r I i,

Jiahn Lawrence Fu m I NVE N TOR merical order.

Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STAT JOHN LAWRENCE FUNCH, OFFARRELLS FLAT, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

MECHANICAL SHEET HOLDER FOR ACCOUNTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS.

Application filed. November 15, 1922. Serial No. 601,047.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that JOHN LAWRENCE FUNCH, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, residing at Bacon Street, Farrells Flat, in the State of South Australia and Commonwealth of Australia, hath invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Mechanical Sheet Holder for Accounts and Other Documents, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a mechanical sheet holder for filing accounts and other documents, the object of the same being to provide means whereby an account or statement or other document can be filed in such a manner that it can be easily and quickly referred to, and in the case of credit and debit sheets the amounts can be ascertained with but little delay.

In order to achieve the object of my invention I provide a rotary file mounted on a horizontal shaft and fitted with a series of interchangeable supports upon which the documents are filed in alphabetical or nu- The documents are enclosed within a folder upon one portion of which the index name or number is printed and opposite to the name or number a slot or opening is cut in the folder so as to expose the debit or credits or other desired information appearing on the account sheet.

The folders are adjustably secured to the bars by holders having an opening or window adapted to enable the operator to see the index name or number and also the information exposed on the document; Means are furnished to retain or lock the holder bars or supports in slotted recesses in the rims of the wheel and the structure which may be of single or multiple design is encased in a suitable drum or cylinder of sheet metal or other-suitable material having inspection and operating openings in its periphery.

The device is mounted on bearings, the

axle being fitted with a handle for rotating the drum and witha lock or ratchet to hold the drum in any desired position and other details of construction are supplied as hereinafter explained.

For the purpose of further elucidating my invention I will now refer to the accompanying illustrative drawings wherein 2-- Fig. l is a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine with half of the casing removed to show the internal construction.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine.

Fig. at is an end view of the machine in part section with end of casing removed.

Fig. 5 plan of folder holder or holding bar. 1

Fig. 6 sectional side view of holder with folder attached. 1

Fig. 7 sectional end view of folder and holder.

Fig. 8 plan of holder for heavier documents.

Fig. 9 section of holder shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 sectional end view of holder illus trated in Figs. 8 and 9.

In each of the illustrations similar letters of reference are used to denote similar or corresponding parts wherever they occur.

In the drawings a is a foundation which supports the bearing legs 6 and also supports the cover or casing which consists of end plates 0, the cylindrical outer casing c, and

a fiap' or cover 0 which is hinged to the cylindrical casing at 0 A horizontal-axle is shown at c and is fitted with a turning handle, 6' of any convenient design.

The horizontal axle supports a frame preferably consisting of a series of discs such as f which are preferably made of wood, the end discs being fastened to the axles by any convenient means, such for instance as a screw which is inserted by cutting a small recess in the end of the disc through which the screw may be passed as indicated at fin' Fig. 4 of the drawings. There may be a multiplicity of discs which serve as divisions for the various receptacles in which the docket folders are accommodated.

' The discs are joined together by horizontal frame bars 9 of which there are preferably four in number and within the periphery of the discs recesses are cut for the accommodation and support of the ends of a series of holder bars h which are attached to the periphery by any convenient means as for instance by dovetailing, fitting or undercutting'or by means of a circumferential band attached to the periphery of the discs, but can be removed if so desired.

I prefer that the holder bars for certain classes of dockets should be wedge shaped as shown in Fig. '10 but for general purposes they may be rectangular as indicated in Figs. eland '7 and both classes of bar may be contained in a single machine and upon each folder bar I provide one or more holder pins or pegs 72. which assist in holding the paper sheets in position as hereinafter ex plained.

Referring now to the folders for the accounts invoices or other papers it will be seen that they consist principally of a stiff back is and side flaps 7c. and a space is reserved for the names of customers on the aclr, whilst at the opposite end there is a hole or slot formed by cutting the material away so that t ie monetary total or other desired information which is written on a paper sheet or account can easily be inspected.

The ends ofthe back are reinforced preferably by metal cleats Z and in the centre of the back a, channel shaped metal thumb grip m is fixed by any convenient means. This constitutes an important factor .in my invention as it additionally assists in retaining the folders and holder bars in position as hereinafter explained. The holding pins for documents may be arranged at each s to of this thumb clip in which event: holes will be provided through the hack of the folder for their passage, and a single pin may be arranged at the end of the folder as in Figs. 8 and 9 to assist in holding the papers in proper position and at a proper distance along the bar.

The flaps of the holder may with advantage be cut away at an angle at the sides as clearly indicated. in Fig. 6, and in addition to the name of'the customer being written or printed along the back or top thereof the full address can be written on the flag; moreover, the holder may have metal clips on the underside as shown at n in Fig. 10. These are useful when there are a consider able number of dockets to be filed on the same holder in which case the holder bar is of bevelled or triangular section. lVith such an arrangement it is intended that the holder bars should be slipped out of their supports without first removing the folder, the removal of the folder being effected by sliding it longitudinally from the bar.

Upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that when the folders are placed in position in the machine the channelishaped thumb grips form a continuous circumferential channel.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown a stationary thin metal band 0 attached to the casing of the machine and extending round thesame'for a distance in excess of half of. the circumference of the machine. This band fits loosely into the channel formed by the series of thumb grips as sectionally indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and prevents the dislodgment of the folder and holders-by gravitation whenthe machine is rotated and 'they assume a more or less vertical position below the centre line. lVith this device the use of the band which holds the ends of the support bars is rendered optional and can be dispensed with and the ends of the bars can be allowed a little more play in fitting them into the recesses or slots in the, revolving discs or frame.

F or the purpose of holding any documents which may be required for temporary use and pending their filing or refiling in the machine I provide an outrigged frame 79 upon which a supplemental holder bar it is fastened. Upon this bar one or more lon 5.1 .idinal metal keepers P are hinged by means of a simple hinge pin the keepers having downwardly deflected sides and a hook or the like at the free end as in Fig. 1 whereby they can be gripped and elevated by rotary movement as will be wellv understood. lVhen the keepers are lifted a paper can be placed on the bar and can be firmly retained by lowering the keeper to the position shown in the drawing.

This device should be clear of the flap or cover and within the flap or cover an. open ing 0 is cut for inspection purposes to enable the operator to see the statement on an account without. opening the machine.

The method of operating my invention may be briefly described as follows An index can be prepared for the convenience of the operator and pasted on the underside of the flap or in any other Convenient position and it is intended that the names of the customers should be kept in alphabetical order. the machine being fitted up in the manner illustrated. The holder bars are inserted in the slots in the periphery of the several discs and are secured either by circumferential metal bands as described or by other suitable means.

The folders are. inscribed with the name of the customer and his address and inserted in position and the machine is then ready for operation. A customer who makes a purchase is provided with a receipt of which aduplicate or carbon copy is kept and the receipt is so arranged that the figures representing the customers debit or his credit can be seen through the slot in the back of the folder when such sheet is placed in the folder. lVhen a subsequent purchase is made the amount of debit or credit of a customer can be referred to without dislodg: ing any part of-the mechanism as the new account or statement commencing with the amount to debit or credit is made out in du plicate and acarbon copy of such account is either immediately filed or is temporarily supported and held on the supplemental holder bar for future filing.

In order to file the account it is only necessary to raise the flap and by means of the handle to rotate the machine until the customers account reaches the open area.

ill)

The folder is then lifted out by means of the thumb grip and the more recent carbon copy is placed over the holder bar on top of the previous statement and is held in longitudinal alignment by the end pin and prevented from slipping by the middle pins.

hen this has been done the folder is easily replaced with its flaps on either side of the bar and is used for the further purpose of firmly pressing the latest account sheet or statement onto the preceding ones which are already on the bar so that the accountant or other person is enabled to see the customers latest debit or credit whenever the machine is sufficiently rotated to bring the name opposite to the inspection slot in the flap of the machine.

The surroundin casing may of course be made of any suitable material but I prefer that it should be made of sheet metal and the ends can easily be fitted to the cylindricalportion by the turn over cleats described in the foregoing specification.

I claim- 1. In a revolving account holder, a spindle rotatably supported, a cylindrical frame comprising a plurality of discs mounted upon said spindle, and a series of T-shaped holder bars having the ends of the cross bar of the T disposed axially of said discs and supported in notches in the peripheries thereof.

2. A. revolving account holder, aspindle rotatably supported, a cylindrical frame comprising a plurality of discs mounted upon said spindle, a series of holder bars disposed axially of said discs and support ed at the peripheries thereof and including metal bands attached to the peripheries of said discs and'disposed over the said holder bars to hold the latter en aged in said discs, substantially as describe 3. A revolving account holder, a spindle rotatably supported, a cylindrical frame comprising a plurality of discs mounted upon said spindle, a series of holder bars disposed axially of said discs and supported at the peripheries thereof and in which said holder bars comprise back portions provided with projecting pins for piercing and retaining filed documents in position, substantially as described. I

4. A revolving account holder, a spindle rotatably supported, a cylindrical frame comprising a plurality of discs mounted upon said spindle, a series of holder bars disposed axially of said discs and supported at the peripheries thereof and including folders adapted to embrace said holder bars, said folders comprising a back portion and flaps projecting therefrom, cleats on the back portions to embrace the sides of the said holder bars, the back portion being further provided with inspection slots and a channel shaped thumb clip, and a holding band disposed partially about said frame and adapted to embrace the said clips as the latter move through a segment of the device to prevent disengagement of the holder bars from the said discs, substantially as described. r

5. In a revolving account holder, the combination with a revolving frame, of a series of holder bars removably supported at the periphery of said frame, folders for said bars comprising members having channel shaped fittings, and a stationary metal guide disposed circumferentially about the under segment of said frame and adapted to receive said channel fittingsto preventthe displacement of the folders in inverted position.

In testimony whereof he has aflixed his signature.

JOHN LAWRENCE FUNCH. 

